Paper presented at SIS 2012 Conference held at NIT Silchar organised by Dr. K C Satpathy

1. CLOUD COMPUTING: A BOON FOR
LIBRARY SERVICES
Presented by
Deepshikha Sen Nilratan Bhattacharjee
Library Trainee Master in Library and Information Science
National Institute of Technology Assam University
&
Dr. Mukut Sarmah
Assistant Professor
Department of Library and Information Science
Assam University

2. INTRODUCTION
Cloud computing has evolved through a number of phases which include
automatic computing, client-server model, mainframe computing, grid utility
computing and application service provision (ASP).
But the overarching concept of delivering computing resources through a global
network is rooted in the sixties. The idea of an "intergalactic computer
network" was introduced in the sixties by J. C. R. Licklider, who was responsible
for enabling the development of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency
Network) in 1969.
Cloud computing denotes a model on which a computing
infrastructure is viewed as a “cloud,” from which businesses and
individuals access applications from anywhere in the world on
demand. The main principle behind this model is offering
computing, storage, and software “as a service.”

3. MEANING OF CLOUD COMPUTING
According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
definition (2009), Cloud computing is a model for enabling ubiquitous,
convenient on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable
computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services)
that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or
service provider interaction.
Cloud computing is a model for delivery of resources as a
service. The resources are retrieved from the Internet through
various web based tools and application. Cloud computing
resources includes infrastructure, service and lastly application.
Cloud computing is so named because the information being
accessed is found in the "clouds", and does not require a user to
be in a specific place to gain access to it.

4. SERVICE MODELS OF CLOUD COMPUTING
Software as a Service (SaaS): It is the most familiar and widely used form of
cloud technology service. In this model the consumer use an application of the
service provider but does not control the OS and other hardware and software on
which it is running. Google's Gmail and Apps, instant messaging from AOL,
Yahoo and Google, are common examples of this.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Here Cloud Computing provides grids,
servers, networks, storage and systems software on need basis. It provides full
control over the OS and all the resources. Ex. Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud
(Amazon EC2), Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3)
Platform as a Service (PaaS): In this model service provider
delivers virtualized servers on which customers can run existing
applications or develop new ones without having to worry about
maintaining the operating systems, server hardware, load
balancing or computing capacity.
Ex. Microsoft's Azure, Force.com, Google Maps, ADP Payroll
processing.

5. TYPES OF CLOUD COMPUTING
Cloud computing can be divided into four types which are public, private, hybrid
and community cloud and each one has its own characteristics.
Public cloud: In this model the vendor or service provider controls the whole
cloud system and offers service on demand over Internet on pay-per-use basis. It
is also known as provider cloud.
Examples of Public Cloud: Google App Engine, Microsoft Windows Azure,
IBM Smart Cloud, Amazon EC2
Private cloud
Private clouds are generally built within an organization for the
benefit of the particular organisation. Private cloud is also known
as “internal cloud”.
Examples of Private Cloud: Eucalyptus, Amazon VPC (Virtual
Private Cloud), VMware Cloud Infrastructure Suite, Microsoft ECI
data centre.

6. TYPES OF CLOUD COMPUTING
Hybrid cloud
Hybrid cloud means the compilations of two cloud technology i.e. private and
public cloud or internal and external cloud. It is also known as combined cloud.
Examples of Hybrid Cloud: Windows Azure (capable of Hybrid
Cloud), VMware vCloud (Hybrid Cloud Services)
Community cloud
Community cloud infrastructure is shared by some organizations
and supports a specific community that shares concerns (e.g.
mission, education and compliance considerations).It may either
be managed by the organizations or a third party and may exist
on premise or off premise.
Examples of Community Cloud: Google Apps for
Government, Microsoft Government Community Cloud.

7. benefits of cloud computing approach in
libraries
Cloud computing helps in increased visibility and accessibility of collections.
Cloud computing helps in reducing duplication of effort from network technical
services and collection management.
Make libraries greener by sharing computing power thus reducing carbon
footprints. For patrons, web-based cloud services can be accessed remotely at a
convenient time and also help to save transportation costs.
It helps to create an illusion of availability of infinite computer resources on
demand.
It helps to create an on-demand self sufficient service, thereby eliminating the
need for cloud user to plan ahead.

8. benefits of cloud computing approach in
libraries
 Cloud technology is paid incrementally (you-pay-only-for-what-you-need)
saving libraries’ money in the short run and then this money saved can be used
for other important resources.
 Increased storage capacity helps libraries to store more data than on private
computer systems.
 Highly automated atmosphere of cloud computing helps the libraries to keep a
bay on IT personnel’s help for keeping software up-to-date, as maintenance is
the job of the service provider on the cloud.
 With Cloud computing, services of libraries will have a new leap in the future.
In fact, services provided by the libraries will become more user-centric, more
professional and more effective. This will in turn help the libraries to create
more knowledge benefits for the country .

9. Application of Cloud computing in
libraries
Libraries can build their computer system on web technology with cloud technologies so
that user can integrate more easily the system.
Libraries can build digital library, content management system, institutional repository,
Inter Library Loan (IIL) system and Integrated Library System (ILS) from locally-
managed to vendor-hosted environment, of their own with the help of cloud technology.
With the help of cloud computing technology libraries can host their website. The
District of Columbia Public Library is using Amazon’s EC2 (Elastic Computing Cloud)
service to host their website.
Libraries can use cloud technology like Google Docs to collect responses to web forms,
Google Calendar for instruction and meeting rooms, and Google Analytics to collect
statistics about their website, catalogue and blogs.
Cloud technology can be applied for backing up of media collections and storing and
accessing of bibliographic data. Libraries can also store and maintain much of the same
data hundreds and thousands of times.

10. Service providers of Cloud computing for
libraries
• Polaris Library Systems- Library Automation System, it provides
standard acquisition and processing system. The systems uses number
of well know standards like MARC 21 for bibliographic data, XML,
Z39.50 for information retrieval, Unicode etc.
• Dura Cloud: Digital library services, Its concern of the Duraspace
which is a collaboration of the Dspace digital library software and
Fedora Commons, It is available for all type of libraries and also for
consortia, It offers complete solution for digital library with standard
software and hardware solution, It also provides open source code
and the code needs to be installed on your machine.

11. CONCLUSION
Cloud computing is a new and promising paradigm delivering IT
services as computing utilities. Cloud computing bring several
benefits for libraries and give them a different future.
Cloud computing encourages libraries and their users to participate
in a network and community of libraries by enabling them to reuse
information and socialize around information. It also creates a
powerful, unified presence for libraries on the web and gives users a
local, group and global reach. Some problems such as platform
security, technical standards, regulatory and other services are not
well resolved yet in practice.

12. THANK YOU